In 2016, a warped pyramid of a residential tower entered the New York City skyline. With VIA, located in Manhattan on West 57th at the Hudson River, AD100 architect Bjarke Ingels made his first residential mark on the city. Now his second, also with a twisted design, is under construction in Chelsea: the XI a travertine-and-bronze-clad two-tower complex, one 36 stories tall, the other 26 stories tall, that will also include the first United States Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. At a topping off preview in March, visitors marveled over the stunning views from floor 36, the top of the tallest tower. Now, this and the four floors below are being shaped into nine similarly fabulous penthouses, courtesy of another AD100 designer, Pierre Yovanovitch.
“The building is not a standard rectangular shape or a square box: it’s something unusual. We wanted to keep the view of the city as the main focus point, for the interiors not to detract,” says the French designer, whose firm, Pierre Yovanovitch Architecture d’Interieur, has offices in both New York and Paris. Inside the XI penthouses, the material palette is natural—wood, stone, and ceramic—with pops of color that excite. Inspired by the strong sunlight the apartments receive, Yovanovitch developed palettes for his team of artisans, moving out of his pastel and white comfort zone, shades he admits he has used in almost a “monastic way,” to explore brights. For example, “when we created the coffee table in ceramic, we asked for a china red and some yellow,” he explains. “I think in this situation, it’s also important to have color, to give the project a strong aura. I have designed a lot of galleries and museums, but when you are in an apartment, it’s not the same. Even if you hang an amazing piece of art, if you have color behind, I think it’s nice too. In the end, it’s a warm family house, which you should enjoy.”
In the 11,300-square-foot floor-through penthouse, furnishings are envisioned as a mix of vintage, contemporary, and custom designs. Eclecticism is chic, declares the designer, who strives to balance comfort, luxury, and a sense of happiness in his work. The apartment features spots of pure luxury living: a wraparound terrace with 360-degree views; an infinity-edge pool with green and gold-leaf tilework and a pietra cardosa deck; and marble floors, countertops, and walls (the latter only in the master bedroom and bath), for example. But the designer also creates coziness with curved interior feature walls that provide an intriguing contrast to the building’s angular façade. In the living room, a double-sided fireplace is set into one. And a pair of curved sofas repeats the effort, maximizing the space but with a conversation-pit-like effect. “I wanted to make happy things with the furniture, to be luxurious but in the same way to be funny, not to be too serious,” declares the designer.
Taking high design and making it easy and fun is a concept that has long captured Yovanovitch's imagination and his decorating, and was solidified in wood and fabric in 2017 with the launch of his first furniture collection, "Oops," at New York–based R & Company, and a selection of new pieces from the continued series last year. On November 6, he will launch his second full collection, "Love,” at the same gallery. And, so inspired by the architecture at the XI, Yovanovitch will design approximately four custom pieces of furniture exclusively for the building next year. "Some shapes of the furniture are also twists of the shape on the building," he describes. "It’s a reflection of the outside inside, but in an easy way."
